Life & Arts

Photos: Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up comes to Austin

KUT 90.5 | By Wynne Davis

Published May 3, 2025 at 5:01 AM CDT

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A blonde man and woman face each other and share a kiss in a large booth set up to look like a pink box that a Barbie doll would come in. — Sarah and JT Unruhn kiss at the Malibu Barbie Cafe pop-up in downtown Austin. The life-size pink Barbie box is just one photo op set up around the experience.

Hi, Barbie!

Hi, Ken!

You wanna go for a ride?

Sure, Ken!

Jump in — we're going downtown to the Malibu Barbie Cafe!

If you're looking to get a head start on summer or go back to 2023's peak Barbiecore moment, this pop-up installation is full of photo ops, including a life-size Barbie box like the dolls come in, a rollerskating rink and a lifeguard stand.

Austin is the latest destination for the pink-drenched concept from Bucket Listers and Mattel. The experience opened last month and goes until June 8. Tickets start at $25 plus fees and include a $5 credit for the gift shop and a $10 credit for the cafe, with food prepared from the team at Wholly Cow Burgers.

Of course there are no rules that you must wear pink, but you're sure to be in good company if you do. Here's a glimpse of what you can expect.

A young girl and her mother dressed in matching denim jackets and black pants follow a host to their table at the Malibu Barbie Cafe. — Azara Donaldson, 8, and her mother, Ashley Sellers, walk to their table at the Malibu Barbie Cafe to start their 90-minute experience.

A table full of different plates and drinks. — Some highlights at the cafe include ice cream floats delivered in Barbie's pink convertible, a cupcake bar that comes on her pink yacht, and a smash burger from Wholly Cow Burgers. Those seen here were provided by the cafe for the purpose of photos.

Lauren Ormsbee and Erin O’Brien took a spin around the roller rink in their themed outfits. — Lauren Ormsbee and Erin O’Brien take a spin around the roller rink in their themed outfits.

A woman wearing a pink dress with a blow up pink convertible inner tube around her waist poses for a photo. — Traci Loftton poses for a photo dressed as Barbie's pink convertible.

A man stands behind a counter and gets pairs of roller skates ready for the next visitor. — Jacob Garcia works at the roller-skating rink where visitors can donate $1 to the American Red Cross to skate.

Three young girls pose for a photo op at a Malibu Barbie Cafe pop up. — Six-year-olds Rose, Harper and Saylor pose for a photo in the outdoor portion of the pop-up.

A woman in a light pink dress sits on a large dark pink porch swing and poses for a photo. — Heidi Diallo of Dallas says she and her friend were already wearing pink-themed outfits for another event when they saw the Barbie cafe on social media and decided to check it out.